Twilight Again
by Yodababe
Summary: Go Valentine! Now is your chance!" Garrett urged me. I hushed him and flew into the window of the Swan household, finding Bella listening to piano music on her radio. Quietly I leaned foreward to pluck a hair from her scalp... and was tackled by Edward.
1. Prologue

TWILIGHT AGAIN

**PROLOGUE**

My head was spinning as I took in what I had become. Vivid flash backs of the incident in Duluth continued to pop up in my mind. There were five of them; Monsters that moved like ghosts and breathed like death. I tried to run away, but everywhere I turned I saw them. I tried shutting my eyes to see if it was just a nightmare, but my body was tossed carelessly around like a helpless doll in the hands of a five year old.

That's when I felt it. Close to unconsciousness, something broke the skin on my arm like knives. Through the stinging and the burning I screamed until I couldn't anymore and I thought I had passed out.

Then I became alert by large cracking sounds and vicious snarls. When it all stopped someone picked me up and seemed to fly away into oblivion. I believed I was dead for a time, but I could still feel my broken bones and the burning in my veins. I was very cold and terrified that I wept. Every time I let out a sob the man pulled me closer and whispered soothing words to me to calm me down. I tried to keep quiet, but every now and then a whimper would escape my lips.

I took me a while to realize we weren't flying anymore when he lay me down on an old bed and left. I cried in agony, for my body trembled at every movement. I felt like I was on fire, and yet I shivered because I was so cold. He came back quickly and wrapped a blanket around me, cradling me in his lap and petting my hair trying to sooth me. It wasn't working. The burning didn't cease in the least bit. I attempted to ask why, but coherent words evaded me. After two days the burning was starting to leave my fingertips and hands. I still couldn't walk painlessly, though I tried.

Whenever the pain was endurable, he tried to explain to me who he was and where I was. I apparently told him my name, though I didn't remember doing so, because he always addressed me so. His name was Dorian Griffin, a scientific doctor from Virginia, but that was all I could remember before I cringed at a jolt of pain.

On the dawn of the fourth day I found that I could move without triggering any spasms. Dorian explained to me again what I had become and it still took a while for it to sink in. I was a vampire. He told me the burning in my throat meant I craved blood. I cringed at the thought. I was a vegetarian! I don't eat animals! Yet he insisted that I would have to 'hunt' that night to avoid going mad. Much to my disgust I went with him just to make the burning stop.

He taught me how to hunt with my new self. My senses were heightened beyond belief. I could see a chipmunk gnawing on an acorn from far away, and hear it as its teeth scratched against its food source. Telling me it was much too small to be prey, we flew through the forest until I came upon an irresistible smell. The scent was like crisp apples in the spring. Gazing upon the beast, I realized it to be a large cat-like animal, possibly a minx or snow leopard.

Instinctively I lunged at it and bit through its neck. As the blood spilled into my mouth, I was surprised that it did taste like crisp apples. I could feel the animal fighting to get away, but my new strength held it hostage to its doom. Feeling it go limp, I was feeling stronger physically, but pitied the cat. The burning had stopped in my throat and I felt… well, not normal, but better.

Dorian praised me for my first meal, though I found it quite silly.

"Hunting is essential for vampires, Valentine. You'll get used to it." He told me I should hunt twice a week and never a human. The thought that I would drink the blood of another human was sickening. Isn't that a form of cannibalism?

For the next few weeks I was getting used to my new body. I could run faster than a car, hear things from miles away, and see unbelievable distances. These all came in handy when I hunted (which I was now getting used to as well). I especially liked snow leopards for their taste that reminded me of apples.

Occasionally I gloomed about my old family. My younger brother Thomas, my mother Anna, and my father Jeremy. I wondered how they were fairing without me. Would they be searching for me? Would they think I was dead?

The other members of the 'coven' were Zuma, Joseph, and Ian. Zuma was tall, slender, and had raven black hair that was wavy a little past her shoulders. Joseph had spiky black hair and appeared to be Asian. Ian had dark blonde hair and was muscularly built. I instantly bonded to Zuma like a sister. She had been attacked by vampires like I was and was easy to relate to. She laughed at me when I asked about crosses and holy water and crucifixes and stakes telling me I wouldn't have to worry about those 'toys'. I couldn't help being relieved.

Joseph liked to study geography. It was really annoying when he rambled on about the Caspian Mountains or the Great Basin. He could always somehow manage to twist a conversation into the geography of some continent.

Ian seemed to be the little brother of the group, only appearing to be around thirteen years old. Like all kids, he was easily entertained and fascinated by my attempts at remaining as 'human' as possible.

After a while, they were all like family to me, teaching me the 'rules' of being a vampire and all the fun things you can do. (Like sneaking up on humans and poking them as Ian enthusiastically explained)

One day Dorian started encouraging us to move west. He didn't tell us why, just that it was important. I would miss living in the Appalachian mountains, but since Dorian was the head of the coven, his orders must be followed.


	2. Chapter 1: Monster

**CHAPTER 1: MONSTER**

"Valentine, what are you doing?" Joseph inquired curiously.

"Mmmm." I moaned preoccupied. "Oh, what?"

"You can't save all the trees, Val." Joseph rolled his eyes. I stopped 'healing' the tree and glowered up at him. It had been a few days since I discovered my special ability. I was ecstatic. I could heal almost anything and never wanted to stop, down to the last dying insect. Joseph thought it was foolish as we strolled leisurely through this forest. Every tree that I saw that needed a little help I healed it. Termite damage, lightning strike, you name it, I heal it. I might be developing Obsessive Compulsive disorder.

I shrugged and put my hands in my pockets and started taking long deliberate strides. It was a mix between a regular human stride and a vampire one. Joseph followed me grudgingly. I knew he'd rather be with Dorian finishing up some minor details in the lab, but for now he had to put up with me.

Last night I decided to get a look at what was going on in the human world. I've been isolated for nearly six months in a forest in northern Minnesota and I was curious to how humanity was progressing. About an hour stroll down one block and I was cornered by a gang of five men. That was the least of my worries. The scent of their blood was intoxicating, like stepping out into spring after being trapped in a stuffy room. As one approached I couldn't stop myself. I killed him and took his blood. It was sweeter than anything I've ever tasted. The other men were mortified, but before they could run I killed them too. It was then that Dorian found me and brought me back to our forest 'hideout' to give me a literally hour long lecture on why we avoid human blood.

On top of that he's making Joseph babysit me until I stop craving human blood. Just a couple slip ups and my eyes had turned from their startling topaz to a terrifying maroon. Still I trotted around like nothing had happened and that made Joseph extremely annoyed.

"Aren't you supposed to be mad at me?" I asked wistfully eyeing a dying fern.

"Oh I'm furious." Joseph replied glumly. "Why can't you take this seriously?"

"Because it's no big deal."

"Because of you we have to move further west." Joseph rolled his eyes. I shrugged still smirking. At least we would live in an actual house and try to blend in with society. That suddenly reminded me of something. Dorian had mentioned earlier today that a new member would be joining our coven to teach us how to co-exist with humans. All I knew about this new member was that he was forever twenty (two years older than myself) and had come from our rival coven of Maine. At first he was sketchy on letting him in, but this guy had a good alibi. Apparently the leader of our rival coven asked him to go after a pack of werewolves. Knowing that this would get him killed he ran to find our coven for mercy.

"Do you know anything about this new guy coming into our coven?" I inquired deliberately changing the subject. Joseph sighed skeptically.

"I only know as much as you do." He said with a shrug. After healing the dying fern back to health I proceeded to find another pathetic life form to save. Eventually I should get bored of this, but I had forever to find out when. As we continued to stride through the forestry in silence I was beginning to wonder what it would be like in Washington. Dorian told me that it rained a lot and rarely had a sunny day so we could go out in the daytime hours. Our new home was about half a mile away from Forks and had a large basement that Dorian was planning on turning into a laboratory. He had already mailed most of his equipment to the house, but we'd still probably beat it there once we got moving.

Suddenly it felt like someone was poking my mind. I whipped around and glared at Joseph. His annoying special ability was the lamest one I've ever heard of. He could somehow 'poke' people's minds to get their attention. He didn't look at me, but instead stared at the dirt with an expression of both curiosity and determination.

It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Dorian using his strange power of telepathy to speak to Joseph. Unfortunately he could only talk to one person at a time so I waited in suspense waiting for the news. After a while Joseph looked back up at me completely expressionless.

"What is it?" I questioned. He didn't move a muscle. I narrowed my eyes in agitation and he smiled ever so slightly at my impatience.

"Our new brother has arrived." He informed me at last. I felt of burst of excitement course through me. I was extremely anxious to meet them. "Dorian needs us, we'll be leaving soon." With that we took off running back to our hideout.

It wasn't long before I could smell two very distinct scents. One belonged to Dorian and the other wasn't familiar. That made me run faster as if I were hunting again. Joseph made an inconspicuous effort to stay ahead of me though, irritating me once again.

We slowed to a human pace as we found what was left of the old shack we called our hideout and found Dorian, Zuma, and another man waiting for us.

"About time." Zuma spoke sarcastically.

"Valentine, Joseph, this is Garrett." Dorian greeted us ignoring Zuma's remark. I immediately took a liking to Garrett. He was so much more relaxed than Joseph. He could pass for a human if not for the absence of his heart beat. He had shaggy brunette hair and his eyes were just as red as mine were. At least we had something in common.

Dorian and Zuma ran a few more boxes of equipment to the post office and we took off running into the west toward our new home. Along the way we would stop to purchase a car to blend in more. Garrett was making us buy all these things to make us seem more 'human' all through South Dakota and Montana. We even took turns hitch hiking to get used to the smell of human blood. When it was my turn I could barely breathe properly because every breath I took in was a whiff of the sweet blood that I so dearly craved. This whole self-discipline thing was harder than I thought it would be. I was so relieved when my timid driver dropped me off in Helena. As soon as I was out of eyesight I ran as fast as I could west. My coven caught up with me later in Idaho.

I hoped I wouldn't have to make us move again. Forks seemed like a decent place to live. At least I had both Garret and Joseph working hard to keep me out of trouble, but I continuously kept thinking of the five men I killed back in Minnesota. I didn't want to kill humans, it was just that I couldn't resist. Dorian promised after my first year or so I'd get used to the smell and learn to ignore it as best I could.


End file.
